U.K. delivering on new FTA with India, says Rishi Sunak
The Hindu
Rishi Sunak was delivering a talk at the Lord Mayor of London’s Banquet, his first major foreign policy speech since taking charge at 10 Downing Street in October.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has reiterated the U.K.'s commitment to a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with India as part of the country's wider focus on enhancing ties with the Indo-Pacific region.
Delivering a talk on November 28, 2022 at the Lord Mayor of London’s Banquet, his first major foreign policy speech since taking charge at 10 Downing Street last month, the British-Indian leader reflected upon his heritage and committed to promoting British values of "freedom and openness" around the world.
He also pledged to "do things differently" when it came to China, which he said poses a "systemic challenge" to British values and interests.
"Before I came into politics, I invested in businesses around the world. And the opportunity in the Indo-Pacific is compelling," said Mr. Sunak.
"By 2050, the Indo-Pacific will deliver over half of global growth compared with just a quarter from Europe and North America combined. That's why we're joining the Trans-Pacific trade deal, the CPTPP, delivering a new FTA with India and pursuing one with Indonesia," he said.
"Like many others, my grandparents came to the U.K., via East Africa and the Indian subcontinent and made their lives here. In recent years, we've welcomed thousands of people from Hong Kong, Afghanistan, and Ukraine. We're a country that stands up for our values, that defends democracy by actions not just words," he noted.
On China, Mr. Sunak said he wants to "evolve" the U.K.'s approach as he distanced his government from a slogan used by the previous Conservative Party led government to describe UK-China bilateral relations just over seven years ago.
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